Arthritis
JOINT PAIN & MOBILITY
Arthritis can affect the foot and ankle joints, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility. Symptoms may build gradually or worsen after injury, overuse, or long-standing joint wear.
- Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
- Reduced motion or walking comfort
- Symptoms may worsen with activity
- Care depends on severity and joint damage
Evaluation & Next Steps
- Clear severity assessment and next steps
- Supportive care and recovery guidance
- Care across 4 Las Vegas locations
Call: (702) 703-4340
Hours: Mon–Fri: 8am–5pm
On this page
Quick Summary
Key takeaway: Arthritis in the foot or ankle can make walking, standing, and daily movement harder over time. Evaluation helps identify the affected joint, severity, and whether conservative care or surgical planning may be appropriate.
Treatment planning usually focuses on pain control, mobility, joint support, footwear or orthotic changes, imaging findings, and when more advanced options should be discussed.
Overview
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation or degeneration within a joint. In the foot and ankle, it may affect cartilage, joint surfaces, alignment, and surrounding soft tissues, leading to pain and stiffness during movement.
Why Evaluation Matters
Joint pain can come from arthritis, injury, tendon problems, alignment changes, or other conditions. Evaluation helps confirm the source of symptoms and guides treatment before mobility becomes more limited.
Symptoms
Arthritis symptoms vary by joint, severity, activity level, and whether inflammation or structural wear is present. Symptoms may come and go or gradually become more persistent.
Joint Pain
Aching, soreness, or sharp pain may occur during walking, standing, stairs, or activity.
Stiffness or Limited Motion
The joint may feel tight, hard to bend, or less flexible after rest or activity.
Swelling or Tenderness
Inflammation may cause warmth, puffiness, tenderness, or pressure around the affected joint.
Walking or Shoe Difficulty
Pain, alignment change, or joint enlargement may make shoes uncomfortable or walking less stable.
Seek care now if…
Seek prompt evaluation if joint pain follows an injury, swelling is severe, walking becomes difficult, the joint looks deformed, or pain is rapidly worsening.
Causes & Risk Factors
Arthritis can develop from joint wear, prior injury, inflammation, alignment problems, or medical conditions that affect the joints.
Common Causes
- Cartilage wear over time
- Prior fracture or injury
- Inflammatory joint disease
- Foot or ankle alignment changes
- Long-term joint stress
In the foot and ankle, arthritis may develop slowly or appear after trauma that changes how a joint moves or carries weight.
Risk Factors
- Older age
- Prior joint injury
- Repetitive stress
- Flatfoot or alignment problems
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Excess body weight
- Family history
- High-impact activity history
Diagnosis
Diagnosis focuses on identifying which joint is affected, how much motion remains, whether alignment has changed, and how arthritis is affecting walking or activity.
Typical Evaluation
- Symptom and activity review
- Foot and ankle exam
- Joint motion testing
- Weight-bearing X-rays
- Advanced imaging when needed
What to Bring
- Current shoes or orthotics
- Prior imaging
- Medication list
- History of injuries
- Activity goals
Treatment Options
Treatment depends on the joint involved, arthritis severity, pain level, alignment, activity goals, and response to conservative care.
Related care: Treatment planning may include footwear changes, custom orthotics, joint support, medication review, injections, imaging, or surgical discussion when symptoms remain limiting.
Conservative Care
- Activity modification
- Anti-inflammatory guidance
- Joint support
- Pain-control planning
Footwear / Orthotics
- Supportive shoes
- Custom orthotics
- Padding or bracing
- Pressure reduction
Surgery Consideration
- Severe joint damage
- Persistent pain
- Loss of mobility
- Alignment concerns
Recovery & Follow-Up
- Symptom monitoring
- Mobility goals
- Orthotic adjustments
- Post-treatment follow-up
Recovery
Recovery and long-term management depend on the joint involved, arthritis severity, activity demands, and whether treatment is conservative or surgical.
What Helps Most
- Supportive footwear: Shoes with stability and cushioning may reduce stress.
- Orthotic support: Custom inserts may improve alignment and comfort.
- Activity adjustment: Lower-impact activity may reduce flare-ups.
- Weight management: Less joint load may help symptoms.
- Follow-up care: Ongoing symptoms may need treatment adjustment.
When to Follow Up
- Worsening pain: Symptoms are becoming more limiting.
- Less motion: The joint feels increasingly stiff.
- Walking difficulty: Daily movement is affected.
- Shoe problems: Pressure or deformity is worsening.
- Swelling persists: Inflammation does not settle.
- Conservative care fails: Symptoms remain despite support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Arthritis may cause aching, stiffness, swelling, tenderness, reduced motion, or pain that worsens with walking, standing, or activity.
Common causes include cartilage wear, prior injury, inflammatory arthritis, alignment changes, repetitive stress, or long-term joint overload.
Diagnosis may include a symptom review, physical exam, joint motion testing, weight-bearing X-rays, and advanced imaging when more detail is needed.
Many patients start with conservative care such as footwear changes, orthotics, activity modification, medication review, bracing, or injections when appropriate.
Surgery may be discussed when pain, stiffness, deformity, or mobility limits remain significant despite conservative treatment.
Evaluation is recommended when joint pain is worsening, swelling persists, walking becomes difficult, or shoes become uncomfortable because of joint changes.
Locations
LVVIS offers vein evaluation and treatment planning at multiple Las Vegas locations. Choose the office that is most convenient when scheduling your visit.
LVVIS West Side Consultation Office
8930 W Sunset Rd, Suite 350
Las Vegas, NV 89148
Consultations and vascular evaluations
LV2 Limb & Vascular Division
8930 W Sunset Rd, Suite 350
Las Vegas, NV 89148
Limb preservation and podiatry partnership care
LVVIS East Procedure Office
2250 E Flamingo Rd, Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Procedures, diagnostics, and circulatory care
LVVIS West Side Surgical Center
6120 S Fort Apache Rd, Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89148
Advanced vascular and interventional procedures